n Jamaican Patois, the term “ginal” (sometimes spelled “jinal”) refers to someone who is cunning, deceitful, or tricky. It is often used to describe a person who is skilled at manipulating situations or people for their own benefit, typically in a dishonest or sly way.
Key Points about “Ginal”:
- Deceptive: A “ginal” person is someone who is not straightforward and often uses clever but dishonest methods to get what they want.
- Sly and Crafty: The term suggests a level of craftiness, where the person might be able to convince others to believe something that isn’t true, or to do something that benefits the “ginal” person at the expense of others.
Example Usage:
- “Mi cyaan trust him, him too ginal.”
- Translation: “I can’t trust him, he’s too deceitful.”
- “Watch out fi dat ginal, him always have some trick up him sleeve.”
- Translation: “Watch out for that cunning person, he always has some trick up his sleeve.”
In essence, calling someone a “ginal” in Jamaica is not a compliment—it implies that the person is not to be trusted because of their deceptive nature.
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